Manchester United news: Michael Carrick's 'key target' revealed ahead of crucial Premier League games

Manchester United expect Michael Carrick to qualify for the Champions League, the latest report has claimed.

The Red Devils will hope for a period of stability following the confirmation that Carrick has been appointed boss until the end of the season.

Brighton & Hove Albion's FA Cup win at Old Trafford last weekend meant that United will only play 40 games this season due to their exit at the first hurdle in the EFL Cup.

United are currently seventh in the Premier League with 32 points, and with no other competition to focus on, there will be an expectation on the interim boss to guide the club up the table.

The Independent report that Carrick has been tasked with finishing in the top four, with the boss himself believing that he has the quality in his squad to secure Champions League football.

Top-four race assessed: Is there any hope for Manchester United?

With games against Manchester City and Arsenal to come in the club's next two Premier League games, fans can be forgiven for not feeling optimistic.

Two defeats could leave them trailing fourth-placed Liverpool by nine points, and that gap after 23 matchweeks would be difficult to overcome.

Carrick can take comfort from the fact the Merseysiders have been inconsistent this season, dropping points in five of their last eight Premier League games.

Perhaps United's lack of fixtures could work in their favour in the latter parts of the campaign, especially if Liverpool progress far in the FA Cup and Champions League.

Has Sir Jim Ratcliffe been a success with INEOS?

United fans long protested against the direction of the club under the Glazer family, and supporters were largely in favour of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment into the club.

The billionaire only purchased a minority stake but was widely reported to be in control of sporting departments, though it appears that little has changed since 2023.

Dan Ashworth was hired and fired from his role as sporting director, while Erik ten Hag was allowed to oversee summer 2024 before being sacked months later.

United repeated that mistake with Ruben Amorim, allowing him to remain in post over the summer of 2025 despite overseeing a 15th-placed finish in 2024-25.

It is hard to point to any improvements since Ratcliffe arrived, and he will be under increasing pressure to steer the Red Devils back to the summit of domestic and European football.